Oral administration of medicaments, vitamins, food, supplements, and other substances in pill, tablet, and capsule form present special problems to a large segment of the population, especially to children and the elderly. There are many people who cannot swallow a pill and will either refuse to take it or gag while trying to swallow it. The term “pill” is used herein for any orally ingestible formulation in the solid state and includes one or more tablets, capsules, caplets, lozenges and the like, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. While such essentially solid formulations are to be distinguished from tonics, suspensions, dispersions and other essentially liquid formulations, it will be appreciated that an essentially solid “pill” may have a liquid or semi-solid interior.
The art is filled with numerous methods and devices aimed at cutting, crushing, grinding, or otherwise reducing the size of a pill into smaller particles that are easier to swallow. This process is inefficient, time-consuming, and wasteful. Portions of the medicament may be lost in the process, thereby affecting dosage accuracy and, possibly, drug absorption. Furthermore, some pills, such as time-release medicaments, cannot be cut or crushed as this will affect their designed purpose, and the efficacy of their absorption over defined time intervals. Most of the solutions in the prior art involve altering the size, shape, and/or structure of the pill.
Little comfort is given to those people who have trouble swallowing a pill in its manufactured state. The art is lacking simple, innovative devices or methods for making it easier for these people to swallow a pill without changing the pill's size, shape, and/or structure. The ability to easily consume a pill without the need to cut, crush, grind or otherwise alter its natural state would be efficient, convenient, and readily embraced by all people who have difficulty or find it unpleasant to consume a pill in its manufactured state.
Even for people who do not have trouble swallowing a pill, substances such as food, water, or other fluids are often required to assist in swallowing it. Without such lubrication, the pill may become stuck, lodge in the throat, and cause choking. Food, water, or other fluids may not always be available when a consumer needs or desires to take a pill, and hence, the ability to take a pill without dependence on such substances would be advantageous.
The present invention provides an easy and convenient solution to swallowing a pill without changing the size, shape, or structure of the pill itself. The present invention allows the consumer to easily and conveniently swallow the pill in its manufactured form. This is a unique solution to the problem of swallowing pills and represents a radical departure from the prior art, which essentially teaches the consumer to cut, crush, or otherwise reduce the size of the pill or otherwise change its structure to make it easier to swallow. Furthermore, the present invention enables the consumer to swallow a pill, even at times when access to food or fluids is inconvenient.